Cricket’s Associate Nation Conundrum

Somewhat predictably, the Great British Summer is keeping
the groundsmen busy as the tournament looks to gather some momentum after a
stop-start few weeks.

Of course, one of the leading storylines heading into the
summer was that of the wholesale changes made to the competition’s structure.
With the number of teams involved in the strikingly perpetual round-robin stage
reduced to 10 (down from 14 in 2015), the lack of opportunity for associate
nations has been a controversial bi-product.

The World Cup has oft provided a platform for smaller
cricketing nations to disprove their minnow moniker and make their mark on the
world stage.

Now, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) taking
steps to bypass blowout fixtures and ensure every game is competitive, the
associate nations have lost one of their most marked opportunities to prove
their worth and expand their yearly cricketing schedules.

If we are to truly see the development of associate sides,
such as Bangladesh’s rise since the 1990s, the ICC’s changes can only be seen
as a backwards step – a view affirmed by the great Sachin Tendulkar, who
recently and publicly bemoaned the tournament’s hindrance in globalizing the
game.

Scotland are one such nation who missed out at this World
Cup, narrowly losing out in qualifying to the West Indies.

For a more than capable side who stunningly beat World Cup
favourites England at the Grange just last year, it is a hammer blow.

Scotland are an associate nation with One Day International
(ODI) status since 2018, following their strong performance in World Cup
qualifying, yet their yearly schedule is positively barren in comparison to the
test-playing, full member nations of the ICC.

Given the severe lack of playing opportunities, there is
surely a ripple effect in failing to attract young talent to the national side.
Exactly how much motivation can young and exciting prospects have to pursue
cricket full time?

Oli Hairs is one batsman on the fringes of the Scotland
team, currently maximising his opportunities with Scotland A in order to gain
consideration for selection.

Oli Hairs goes to 100 for the Eastern Knights in Scotland

Having played five ODI’s for Scotland in 2010, this is his
second push for playing time with the first team.

“Looking back, I was way too young and didn’t really know my
game well enough at that level – I got a couple of twenties but that was really
about it,” he recalled.

“With an associate nation, there are not many games and
fixtures – there’s even less now because the Pro40 isn’t a thing and Scotland
have lost that domestic involvement with the county sides.

“Back when I played my first game, I was still at school.
Professional cricket was always the plan, but work and university ultimately
got in the way.”

Now in his late twenties, Oli now counts himself lucky to be
in a position where another shot at the Scotland side is not the be all and end
all.

“When I was 18, my mindset was very much ‘this is what I
have to do’. Whereas now, I’m just going
out and enjoying it – if it happens it happens, I’m just giving myself the
opportunity to get noticed and potentially selected.”

Given the further reduction of World Cup participants, Oli
believes the motivation for the associate nation prospects coming through the
ranks lies in franchise T20 cricket.

A new franchise tournament called The European T20,
involving two sides from each of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands will
kick off at the end of August.

“With the World Cup being shortened, the number of teams
have dropped and it does really limit the cricket available to us,” Oli pointed
out.

“However, with the new European T20, the six sides will
participate in 30 games in 3 weeks before the finals – it will be similar in
set up to Australia’s Big Bash and the Indian Premier League.”

Each squad for this new competition will have nine homegrown
players as well as six overseas participants.

Rob, 24, is a history graduate from the University of Warwick. Following his studies, he spent two years working in the education sector as a director at a tutoring firm, and still continues to work with young people in a sports coaching capacity for squash and cricket. Before undertaking his Sports Journalism Master’s at St Mary’s University, Rob spent the summer of 2018 working for digital golf magazine Golf Today. A competitive sportsman, Rob’s personal strengths and interests lie in racket sports, cricket, golf and American sports, and he joins the plethora of Surrey-based Manchester Utd fans that grace the South-East. Recent visits to Boston and San Francisco have affirmed his love for the sports culture in the US, with a more permanent move out there a long-term aspiration. You will likely find him tweeting propaganda for squash’s inclusion as an Olympic sport at anyone who will listen.